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"Why do I need Jesus?"
Rich Gwyn
It's a question that you may or may not take seriously... but if you are 'intrigued'... then let me relate some findings from my search.
For those of us who grew up in a more traditional time, we often took it for granted that most families were part of a church. Many of us who grew up in the 50's and 60's can trace a family heritage of church membership for a number of generations. Membership in a local church, especially in rural America, was the weekly opportunity for social gathering. Now, those traditions are breaking down. For most of our modern culture, an affiliation with a church is considered optional. It's something that we might consider as a "helpful addition" to help "round-out" our lives. For many, the option is not considered worth considering.
Well, as "nice" and "comforting" and "social" and "tradition-filled" as church membership can be, that is not among the answers to the question: "Why do I need Jesus". My point is this... there are a lot of people whose names have been on the membership roles of local churches for years, who have never seriously confronted that question: "Why do I - personally - need Jesus?"
Who's In Charge, Here?
Honestly, it's not fun to consider that question seriously! If God really is in charge of everything, that must mean, that I am not in charge. And at first, that's not a comforting thought! (Don't we just love to be in charge! I noticed recently that a major auto company is selling expensive vehicles with the ad-line "you're comfortably in control". Hey, they know what we like!)
Ever hear the story of the man who fell off a 400-foot cliff and managed to grab hold of a tree limb just a few feet down? He had not been much for religion in the past, but as he struggled to hang on - dangling precariously from the limb - he called out toward heaven, "Is anybody up there? I need help!"
Sure enough, a voice sounded from heaven, saying, "Yes, I am with you. Let go of the limb".
Startled, he thought for a minute, and then asked, "Is there anybody ELSE up there?"
That's us! That's you and me. We call out to God in times of trouble, and when we don't like his answer, we move on to other 'advisors'.
But you see, God doesn't want to be just our advisor. He wants to be Lord of our lives. And that means that we "have to let go of the limb" - trust Him and let Him take charge over every aspect of our lives.
Sin
Now, let's walk-through some answers to that question: "Why do I need Jesus?"
1) First is a three letter word: SIN.
It's not very fashionable to talk about sin today. It's not even "politically correct". In this day when the prevailing cultural message is "just do your own thing", people don't like to be told that their choice of behavior or lifestyle is wrong.
Try it. You'll get responses like "who are you to judge me?" Or, "if it's morally acceptable in my opinion, why shouldn't I act as I choose."
According to modern thinking, there is no standard of right and wrong. What's wrong for you, is not necessarily wrong for me.
But the point is, in the broader view of eternity, my opinion doesn't matter. Your opinion doesn't matter. The only opinion that does matter is God's opinion. And He tells us to "be Holy, as I am Holy" (1 Peter 1:16).
The Bible tells us plainly that we all have sinned and fall short of God's standards (Romans 3:23).
Off Target
But... what is sin, anyway?
The Bible word used for sin, pictures an archery contest. Being holy is like hitting the bullseye with your arrow - while sin is "missing the target". Sin is "missing God's ideal" in some area of our lives.
You can also think of sin as rebellion against God. We make choices to rebel against God. In fact, our very nature makes us prone to rebellion!
While humanistic philosophies declare that man is inherently good, the Bible reveals that "not one of us" is righteous (Romans 3:10).
We can try to alter our behavior - to be "good people", but we can never conquer this problem of sin by using only our own strength.
Only by entering into a relationship with Jesus Christ can our fatal problem with sin be dealt with. Because God is a just God, He can allow no one to enter His heavenly presence with the stain of sin. Jesus, in His earthly life, never sinned. In every way He was perfectly obedient to the will of His Father.
Then, He took all of our sins on himself - though He was not guilty. In doing so, Jesus became the only acceptable sacrifice, accepting the punishment which was due us. When we join in relationship with Jesus by faith, God the Father sees us as "clothed" in the righteousness of His Perfect Son. His spotless record is conferred upon sinful man.
Jesus is the ONLY answer to our problem with sin.
Mercy, Grace, and Need
2) Why do I need Jesus?
Because knowing Him is the way to receive God's mercy and grace.
Have you ever thought much about those two concepts - mercy and grace?
Well, when we are finally willing to admit the fact that we are sinners, the next question is, who is going to save us? Try as we might, we cannot save ourselves no matter how good we are nor how many kind and charitable acts we may do.
We are needy people! We need mercy . . . and grace.
What Are Mercy and Grace?
Let's take a look at these two wonderful attributes of God:
Mercy. That's God saying to us, "I choose not to treat you as your sins deserve".
We all deserve punishment for the crimes we have committed against a Holy God. Mercy says, "I could not revoke your sentence and still act justly, so I carried out your sentence on my son. I put Him in your place, to take the punishment you deserved."
That's mercy.
What about grace? Grace is God saying to us, "I will give you the blessing that you never could earn. I will be your loving, perfect Father, and you will be my beloved child." (John 1:12) An heir to all my Kingdom. You could never earn my favor; you could never do enough to achieve it! So I sent my Son, to live a perfect, sinless life. And if you ask, I will give you His perfect, sinless record."
That's grace.
Mercy is withholding the punishment we deserve. Grace is giving us the blessing we could never earn.
The mercy and grace of God come to us only through a faith relationship with Jesus Christ.
"But, I'm Being Good!"
3) "Why do I need Jesus?"
For reason number three, consider this: When we insist on being the "Captain of our own ship," then the boat has already begun to sink!
Some people seem to live charmed lives. I was in a Bible study with a fine woman whose life experience was so positive, she had trouble seeing a need for Jesus. As others in the group discussed stressful circumstances in their lives, and how Christ was their strength through those tough times, this woman could not relate.
"I've been so fortunate, and I'm very satisfied with my life," she'd say.
Jesus once had a conversation with a rich young man. It's recorded in Luke 18:
A certain ruler asked him, "Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?"
"Why do you call me good?" Jesus answered. "No one is good - except God alone. You know the commandments: 'Do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not steal, do not give false testimony, honor your father and mother.'"
"All these I have kept since I was a boy," he said.
When Jesus heard this, he said to him, "You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."
When he heard this, he became very sad, because he was a man of great wealth.
Jesus looked at him and said, "How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God! Indeed, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."
Those who heard this asked, "Who then can be saved?"
Jesus replied, "What is impossible with men is possible with God."
One of the great Christian writers said that we were created with a "God-shaped hole", that only He can fill. You can have a great family life, lots of money, plenty on interests with work and hobbies, travel, and all the other trappings of success. But you'll still find that there is something missing. Like the rich young ruler in the bible, the "rich and famous" of this world are often some of the most miserable people on earth. They have everything they can imagine, but they know that there is something missing.
True happiness, joy, and peace in life come when we surrender control - when we step back out of the Captain's chair - and let Jesus Christ control the direction of our lives. Only Jesus can fill our innermost longings - a longing "built into us" by God himself!
Filling the God-shaped hole inside - that's another reason why we need Jesus.
Love, Real Love
4) Forth, and finally: love.
It's really a shame that the meaning of the word love has been so clouded, smeared and perverted in our society. The Bible writers had four different words to explain all the things that we lump together in this one word.
But love - the love of God, is the main reason that we need to know Jesus. The love of God is the fire that melts the most hard and calloused heart.
"Jesus loves me, this I know . . . for the Bible tells me so". You probably sang that as a little child. You thrived on that love and assurance then, so what makes you think you need it any less now?
Because we are all subject to the pull of sin. Human beings find it nearly impossible to love in a pure, God-like way.
Have you every been disappointed by someone you love?
Sure you have.
People "love" you in order to get their own way. They "love" you in order to change you, or to "look good" in front of other people. Human, earthly love is never pure. It almost always carries an underlying, sinful motive.
God's love, on the other hand, is pure, and unconditional. It is always available, always perfect and always complete. God's love is pure, because He only wants what is best for us - and has paid an incredibly high price to achieve that end!
Those who know Jesus come to understand that even the difficult and tragic moments in life are used by Him to bring growth and blessing to us, while encouraging others.
The fact is, none of us actually choose to love God. We love Him, because He first loved us - while we were still sinful, needy and unlovable! (1 John 4:19)
It's only when we first experience God's love for us, that we respond with love in return.
How can you know that God loves you personally?
Just take a look at Calvary's cross. God loved you so much that He gave His only Son. His pain, means your gain. When someone loves you enough to give his life for you, that's pretty special. We'd call that person a hero.
When the God of all creation gave His only Son to die for the sins of the world, including yours and mine, that's the highest love of all! Jesus is not just a hero - He is the Savior!
Why do we need Jesus? Because we all need His unconditional love and acceptance. From my own experience, I can tell you that knowing I am perfectly loved and accepted by Jesus is a rock on which I know I can stand in any storm.
And you can too!
Review
Of course there are many, many more, but let's recap the answers to the question: "Why do I need Jesus".
First, the problem of sin.
Nothing of sin can stand in the presence of a Holy God. Unless we get our sin problem out of the way, we will be alienated from God forever. Yes, that means hell! You'd better believe that there is a real place of eternal separation from God, an existence filled with bitter regret and eternal torment.
Second, because we find ourselves to be correctly judged as sinners, we need mercy and grace. Mercy that says "I will not make you suffer the punishment that you deserve", and grace that says, "I will give you the blessing that you could never earn."
Third, we need a personal relationship with Jesus because He is the only one who can fill the "God-shaped hole" that we all have inside. Special people and earthly pleasures can be very satisfying for a season, but will let us down in the end. Only Jesus can truly satisfy the deepest desires of your heart, now and forever.
And forth, love. Love that flows from the very heart of God and splatters down a cruel cross on a hill called Calvary. Isn't it ironic that the Roman cross, a cruel instrument of death, has become the unmistakable symbol of the greatest love the world has ever known?
It's love that forgives . . . love that purifies . . . love that never fails . . . love that endures forever . . . love that is calling out to you today! "Be mine . . . be mine!"
"Be My Life!"
Do you see that simple "membership" in a church and "knowing things" about God and going to religious "services" can never compare to a real, one-on-one relationship with the living JESUS!
He doesn't just want to improve your life, He wants to be your life!
He wants to be the reason that you get up in the morning - the reason that you serve your family and your boss and your community - the reason that you forgive your enemies and make peace in every relationship you have! And he wants to bring the good news of His love to others, who will be watching your life!
Can you honestly say, right now, that you know Jesus as Savior and Lord? These two titles must go together - they can't be separated. If you receive Him as Savior, you must also receive Him as the Lord over your entire life.
Make Him your King, today. Why would you wait another minute? If He's not the Captain of your vessel, your ship is going down!
Let His love invade you, fill you, cleanse you. Let Him be your Lord - your best friend and your constant companion.
Let's Pray!
Talk to Him right now. He hears every thought of your heart.
"Jesus, I need to know you. I've known some things about you, but I've never really known you. I know I'm a sinner... and I need your forgiveness. I ask you now to come in, and fill that void in my life. As I turn away from my old, self-centered lifestyle, I give you control over my life. Come in to my heart, and teach me how to love . . . Amen."
May the God who loves you and gave himself for you, add power to these words. May He invade your heart, fill you with His Holy Spirit, and make you His own, forever.
Trust Him, receive His love, and walk with Him in faith - moment by moment, day by day.
